Chapter 1391: Who's Regent? [Happy New Year's Eve]

"It's so noisy, it's really a headache."

Shen Tang took a break from her busy schedule to catch her breath.

Sometimes, an excessive amount of martial virtue isn't a good thing. Civil officials are often cunning, while military generals seek practical benefits; the pursuits of these two groups diverge—a small difference can lead to a huge disparity! Ultimately, this can cause a situation to escalate from gentlemen using words to brutes resorting to violence.

"It is a wise move to hold the court assembly in front of the palace rather than inside the palace." Luo San was initially puzzled as to why the court assembly was not moved indoors, given that it was a very overcast day and there was a possibility of rain at any time.

The rain hadn't even started yet, but the people had already started fighting.

If the fighting were to take place inside the palace, the roof would be ripped off.

Luo San stood on the roof of the main hall, arms crossed, watching the farce unfold below. The emperor, Shen Tang, the superior of all the civil and military officials, was also squatting casually on the roof. The officials were arguing heatedly, their faces red and necks bulging, their official hats and robes torn to shreds.

Shen Tang took a deep breath: "These are all based on experience."

Some bored individuals have compiled statistics showing that brawls occur an average of nineteen times a year during court assemblies in Kangguo. Considering that court assemblies, both large and small, aren't held every day, this frequency is quite alarming. With so many occurrences, Shen Tang can even predict the fighting styles of these individuals and dodge "hidden weapons" flying from any direction, including but not limited to unidentified objects like official tablets, hats, belts, shoes, and even foot coverings…

The court assembly that left the deepest impression on Shen Tang.

The Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel are at odds.

The two were so enraged that they were almost face to face, their eyes glaring at each other. Just when Shen Tang thought they would get angry and start choking each other, the censor suddenly stepped back, squatted down, and with lightning speed, ripped off the other man's pants.

The person whose pants were pulled down was dumbfounded.

For a moment, he didn't know whether to draw his sword first or pull up his pants first.

For their breach of etiquette before the Emperor, Shen Tang demoted both of them to local jobs. She didn't completely strip them of their titles because Shen Tang was kind-hearted!

Luo San: "..."

What kind of painful experience must one have to so casually say, "These are all experiences"? It certainly opened the old man's eyes.

Shen Tang fanned himself with his hand to cool off: "Haven't you seen Lord Luo before?"

Luo San said, "It's not good for blood to splatter at the court assembly."

The political landscape in central China is vastly different from that in other regions.

In short—

The distinction between the noble and the common people, the good and the lowly, is clear.

Those born into humble or lowly families would not easily break ties with aristocratic or high-ranking families, let alone publicly attack them. If the former made the first move, the latter, in retaliation, would at least be punished with a reduced sentence, if not innocent. Those born into lowly social classes were even lower in status.

These differences are not usually noticeable, but they are very real in every aspect. Luo San was astonished when he saw the backgrounds of the officials in the Kang Kingdom's court—you know, even if the royal court's policies favor those from humble backgrounds and special methods are used to select officials, the ratio of scholars to commoners will still be unbalanced.

This is completely unavoidable.

Given the same number of people, those from well-established families are more likely to cultivate talent, and the proportion of talented individuals among them is higher. Those from impoverished or even lowly backgrounds rely entirely on luck and talent to rise in society.

Both are indispensable.

Contrary to the norm, the social structure of Kangguo was roughly 60/40 between the gentry and commoners.

Minister Chu Yao was born into a lowly family. If we really had to weigh the political capital of the two sides, the commoner family would have a better chance of winning.

This delicate balance, coupled with the peculiar atmosphere unique to Kangguo, makes brawls frequent yet inexplicably restrained; the most serious injuries are sprains and scratches, and so far no one has died. This is incomprehensible to Luo San, yet it has indeed happened.

Shen Tang: "There's no need for bloodshed in the court. We're all just working people; it's not worth killing our colleagues for a paycheck."

If someone dies, it would truly be an office murder case.

Luo San: "..."

The way Shen Jun said those words was strangely funny.

The old man said quietly, "These people are very cunning. They may not have bloodshed in the court, but they want to kill people thousands of miles away."

There is no doubt that the best source of soldiers is from good families.

Good men from respectable families are disciplined, obedient, determined, and loyal. With minimal training, they can be deployed to the battlefield, and after a few battles, they can become an elite force. They are good, but their numbers are limited. How many good men can be recruited from the southwestern continent?

Therefore, some people suggested relaxing the conditions.

There are few sons from good families, but plenty of sons from lowly families.

These people can be used to fill the ranks, and after some proper training, they can come in handy. As for the claim that these people seem fierce but are actually cowardly, undisciplined, unloyal, and lacking in combat effectiveness?

Number of people can compensate for quality.

Ideally, we should gather all those criminals, thugs, and scoundrels and send them to the battlefield. If they survive, great; if not, that's their fate. With these people dead, local security won't be a problem. It's a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

The person who made this suggestion didn't put it so bluntly.

However, that's the gist of it.

Every civil and military official present was a shrewd and capable person.

The implied meaning is understandable.

Thus, it gradually escalated into a full-blown brawl.

“If he were truly cunning, he wouldn’t have brought it up at court. He’s just a hothead.” Shen Tang was willing to bet that within three months, this hothead would be demoted from Fengluo—not because of his malicious schemes, but because he spoke the “truth.”

This situation certainly exists in this world.

In the eyes of many in power, good families are treasures, while those from lowly families are the source of rebellion. If too many of these people gather, chaos will inevitably erupt. Those in power cannot openly eliminate them, nor can they ignore them; who knows what they might do when they get together? They might become sworn brothers and bandits, or they might gather to rob and plunder, wreaking havoc in all directions—it's impossible to guard against them all.

Separating people is one solution.

However, "using someone else to do the dirty work" is also a method.

Chaotic times are never short of war. These unstable elements are conscripted to the front lines, used as cannon fodder. Those who survive are like gold being sifted from sand in a great wave, and those who die are not a pity. The southwestern continent faces the same problem, with too many unstable elements.

Sending them to the front lines is a good way to reduce risk.

However, the military commanders were not happy about it.

The lowly sons are physically weak, lack martial arts skills, are disobedient, and disobedient; no one likes to lead such soldiers into battle. Based on available intelligence, the central continent is teeming with elite troops and powerful generals. Kang Kingdom hasn't even recovered from its southwestern campaign; fighting again will only be more difficult. Therefore, generals naturally prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to soldiers. They'd rather lead a thousand elite troops against ten thousand than ten thousand undisciplined soldiers against a thousand. A general's innate duty is to win battles; without the pursuit of victory, there is no meaning in war.

Besides this reason, the military commander was also dissatisfied with the other party's wording.

If you label them as "good family kids" or "low-class family kids," then very few of these military officers actually came from good backgrounds. Isn't that a blatant mockery of them?

In short, a chaotic battle is inevitable.

Luo San shook his head: "I'm afraid my life is in danger too."

Shen Tang said, "That's not the case."

The blunt truth spoken by the young man sounded somewhat alarming to Kang Guo, but it was standard practice elsewhere. Which of the civil and military officials present didn't know this? They might have wanted to do the same to solve the immediate crisis, but no one dared to be the first to speak out.

They knew the Lord's temperament all too well.

The lord can accept dying on the battlefield, and knows that people's hearts are treacherous in chaotic times, and that all kinds of horrifying rules are the norm in this era. But she absolutely cannot accept sending soldiers to their deaths with malice, as if these lives are not human lives, but ashes and dust to be swept out of the house during the New Year's cleaning. This is not only treating human life as worthless.

Shen Tang's tone was chilling: "It could also be to save your life."

Luo San was puzzled: "Save your life? What do you mean by saving your life?"

“We’ve already hit him, but you can’t hit him again, my lord.” Shen Tang said in a high-pitched voice, his face expressionless, then sighed deeply, “Trying to outsmart me, finally they’ve come after me…”

Luo San: "...Quite friendly?"

Could it be that the old man misjudged him?

Shen Tang rolled her eyes, her expression clearly saying, "Luo Hou, you're quite naive." She continued, "It's hardly friendship. Conflicts are real, arguments are real, fights are real, and the feeling of 'the rabbit mourns the fox' is real... If I can't tolerate hotheads, I won't be able to tolerate many of them in the future. After all, how many people in chaotic times are absolutely clean? Don't laugh at a pig for being black."

A ruler with high moral standards is a double-edged sword; it may harm the enemy, but it may also harm oneself, whose own conduct is not entirely clean.

Luo San: "...I'm not patient with these things."

Shen Tang smiled without saying a word.

The all-out brawl ultimately resulted in a compromise.

Shen Tang was not surprised by this.

However, Ning Yan expressed her opinion.

Why was she appointed as the regent?

She was one of the few high-ranking officials who didn't get involved in this chaotic brawl. Since it didn't affect her own interests, there was no need for her to get involved and get beaten up. Ning Yan thought she could sit back and watch the tigers fight, but when she turned around, she found herself the tiger being watched?!

When Xie Qi knelt down to thank the king for his grace with trepidation, Ning Yan declined. Without saying a word, she dragged Chu Yao into the mess. Qin Li and Gu Chi had been entrusted with the important task of overseeing the country, followed by Qi Yuanliang. According to this order, Chu Yao should be next, as he was more suitable.

Shen Tang said, "Wu Hui has another important mission."

Chu Yao's focus will then shift to the southwest, while Cui Zhi will handle internal affairs and Chu Yao will handle external affairs, keeping a close watch on the border defenses between the southwest and central continents. Shen Tang has carefully examined the map and believes the probability of this area becoming the main battlefield is very low. However, nothing is absolute. In this world where martial artists can freely alter terrain, it's not impossible that the enemy might cross mountains and rivers to establish a southwestern battlefield.

To be on the safe side, Chu Yao is the best choice.

The capital city needs someone to guard it and maintain the operation of the royal court.

Xie Qi is an expert in domestic affairs, but he lacks the skills of a scholar. In recent years, he has only been active in the imperial court and has few notable military achievements. He can suppress civil officials without much trouble, but suppressing military generals would be quite difficult. After careful consideration, she decided that Ning Yan was the best candidate.

Furthermore—

Ning Yan also has a fabricated story.

While the main body is in the capital, the avatar can still be active on the front lines.

Ning Yan: "..."

The thought of the workload makes my scalp tingle.

Shen Tang avoided Ning Yan's gaze, feeling a little guilty, but not much: "It's time for Tu Nan to take over."

Ning Yan: "..."

No, can the position of regent be rotated?

Civil and military officials: "..."

What do you mean by "it's also time for Attendant Ning"?

That sounds like she deserves to be struck by lightning.

Seeing that Ning Shizhong was speechless, Yu Zi opened her mouth, but in the end she could only sigh and suppress her idea of ​​volunteering for the front line. Staying in the capital was certainly a sign of the emperor's trust and her future prospects were limitless, but compared to the daily nine-to-five court sessions, she preferred to go to the front line with the army. Her scholarly way was not suitable for a warm room, but more suitable for the wild fields where the wind raged.

Yu Zi knew she couldn't be impatient.

There may not be an opportunity now, but there will be in the future.

After the court assembly adjourned, the officials were either bending over to pick up their accessories or straightening their clothes and applying medicine to their wounds, a rather comical sight—Shen Tang preferred their arrogant and unruly demeanor when they were engaged in a full-blown brawl. After the grand court assembly ended, the officials still had to go to their duties, with a few being kept behind for discussions. This time, Shen Tang kept Ning Yan behind to discuss important matters privately.

The meeting place was located in a side hall, which was used as a study on ordinary days.

Only Shen Tang and Ning Yan were inside the hall.

Ning Yan knew her lord wanted to give instructions privately, tasks that couldn't be discussed in court, so she pretended to listen attentively. There was no need for subtle probing with her own people; Shen Tang went straight to the point: "The reason for choosing Tu Nan as regent this time isn't solely because Wu Hui and the others escaped so quickly; there's also one matter that Tu Nan absolutely must handle—"

Ning Yan: "..."

As expected, his colleague escaped first, and he was a step too slow.

She bowed respectfully and said, "Please give your orders, my lord."

"Yes, it concerns the students of the academy."

Ning Yan considered many possibilities, but she couldn't guess the Lord's correct answer. A student from the academy had caused trouble and implicated her; the last one was Li Wan. Could it be that a student had offended the Lord? This thought flashed through her mind, but Ning Yan dismissed it immediately.

The tangled thoughts in my mind gradually became clearer.

She asked, "Because of the central continent?"

Shen Tang nodded: "Mm."

Their conversation, at first glance, seemed confusing, but a deeper understanding revealed its clarity—the Central Continent was a place where the social classes and the elite were clearly distinct, with a strong social hierarchy. If they won the war and the Kang Kingdom annexed the Central Continent, most of the officials they recruited would be from aristocratic families, directly disrupting the balance of power within the Kang Kingdom's court. Ning Yan needed to utilize her position as regent to do something to maintain relative stability in the Kang Kingdom.

For example--

The college further expanded its enrollment.

Promote college students who have already entered officialdom, as appropriate.

Among the senior officials, Ning Yan has the closest ties with the academy, making her more qualified to handle these matters. Shen Tang is not an inconsiderate ruler; he even assigned Ning Yan two capable deputies.

"Who are you two?"

Shen Tang said, "Miao Ne, Li Wan."

Ning Yan: "..."

The two biggest troublemakers in the academy are both her deputies?

However, considering Li Wan and Miao Ne's popularity and reputation among their classmates, they could indeed be of great help. Ning Yan weighed the pros and cons carefully and finally accepted the plan. Shen Tang then gestured for her to come closer, and the emperor and his subject whispered together for a full quarter of an hour.

"Take this opportunity, Tu Nan, and do your best to promote more students from humble backgrounds, send them to local areas, and nurture them diligently... They will surely be of great use in the future." A single spark can start a prairie fire!

Well, not only could it spread like wildfire, but it could also clash with the "gentlemen, commoners, and the lowly" who held firm in the central continent. I can't even imagine how exciting that would be.

<(￣﹌￣)@m

I drank a lot of alcohol last night, and even after sobering up, the screen still feels shaky and wobbly...